Starter for engines



Nov. 19, 1929.

M. B. JACKSON STARTER. FOR ENGINE Filed Feb. 11. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 19, 1929.

M.BJACKSON STARTER FOR ENGINE Filed Feb. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 imam-Emi. .m5

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNTED STATES PATE r rice MAUNSELL B. JACKSON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA STARTER FOIE!)v ENGNES v This invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines ot the type in which the starter pinion is manually moved into meshing engagement with the engine gear, and more particularly to the type of starter disclosed in my prior applications Serial Numbers 67,577, and 81,014, iled Noveniber 7, 1925 and January 13th, 1926, respectively, in whichacontinuousmovement olf the operating mechanism, for meshing the starter pinion with the engine gear, axially moved the pinion and rotated it as necessary to aline it with the gear. The mechanisms in the above applications each included a A single linger having one or more teeth, each tooth being adapted to axially move the pinion and rotate it as necessary to aline it with the gear. rlhe object of the present invention is to provide separate means tor axially 2Q moving the pinion and tor rotating it, if necessai' y, to mesh it with the gear under all conditions.

l attain my object by providing a resilient nger normally held out ot action by man ually controlled means, the linger tending to axially move the pinion towards the engine gear; and by providing a second linger, directly operated by the manually controlled means, :tor rotating the pinion if its teeth meet end to end with the teeth in the gear, the l'irst linger being adapted to move the pinion axially again when the second linger has rotated it sulliciently to aline its teeth with the spaces between the gear teeth. rllhe constructions are hereinafter more tully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 ls a side elevation, partly in section, of mv starter showing the parts in their in'- operative positions;

l? ig. 2 a sectional detail, partly in side elevation, showing the position of the parts when the pinion teeth have met the gear teeth end to end and the finger tor rotating the pinion is in its initial position ot engagement with the latter; y v

Fig. 3 a plan view, partly in section, olf the shalt and pinion parts shown in F ig. 2;

Fig. l a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the position oli the parts when the pinion'has been rotated to aline its teeth with the spaces between the gear teeth, and

F ig. 5 a detail in end elevation of the pinion actuating arms. y

1 is an electric motor provided with an ex- 55 tended armature shaft 2 having its outer end turned down to receive the sleeves 3CL and 3". The sleeve 3 is keyed on the shaft and is provided with notches to receive projections formed on the sleeve 3b. The sleeves are 60 held, by a collar 3, from axial movement and the sleeve 3l has long pitched threads 8 formed thereon. A pinion l threaded on the threads 3 is adapted to be manually moved, both axially and rotarily, into mesh with a gear 5 connected with the crankshaft ot an engine (not shown), the common practice being to secure this gear to the engine flywheel.

vA bell crank 6 is journalled on a spindle 7 70 which is suitably mounted on the starter pinion housing 1a. An arm 61 ot the bell crank is connected with any suitable manually operated mechanism such as the foot pedal or plunger 8 shown in Fig. 1. On the other arm 75 6 ot the bell crank is pivoted a linger 2O which is provided with a flat end 21 adapted to be engaged by a tlat spring 22 carried by the arm 6a. rlhe linger is adapted to engage a serrated peripheral llange 4l formed on a disk 80 4th suitably carried on the end of the pinion. rlhe spring 22 tends to retain the linger in its normal position. A spring 19 is adapted to normally maintain the oot plunger 8 and thus the bell crank 6 and finger 2O in their in- 85 operative positions as shown in F 1. It will be noted that the linger is normally spaced trom the serrations 4a.

An arm 23, located between the arm 6l and the sleeve 3, is also journalled on the spindle 90 7. On the arm 23 is pivoted a linger 24 which is provided with a flat end adapted to be engaged by a flat spring 25 carried by the arm 23. rlhis linger is adapted to engage the disk 1lb to axially move the pinion towards the 95 gear 5. A coil spring 2G disposed on the hubs ot the bell crank 6 and the arm 23 has its ends extending laterally in opposite dire@ tions. t The end 27 of the spring engages the arm 6a and the end 28 engages the arm 23 to 100 tend to swing the arms towards one another and this movement is limited by means of a pin 29 carried by the arm 23 and adapted to engage the arm 6a. These parts are held, by means of a screw 30 threaded in the end of the spindle, from lateral displacement.

From this description it is obvious that depressing'tlie foot device 8, the arm 6a will be rocked towards the pinion and away .from the pin 29. This will permit the coil lspring 26 to partially rotatethe arinQi-ll and thus its finger 24 to axially move the pinion to# wards the @ear 5 and into meshing engagement therewith if the pinion teeth arev in alinement with the spaces between the engine gear teeth when the pinion and gear come together.

Tf the teeth of the pinion and gear meet end to end when the pinion is being axially moved, by the finger 24, towards lits meshing posit-ion,l the axial movement of the pinion towards the gear will be stopped which will result in the movement ofA they finger -24 being temporarily checked. The arm 6a isr then drawn farther` away from the pin 291to ein gage the finger 2O Vwiththe Serrat-ions 4a and this will result in the linger 20 rotating the pinion sufliciently to cause its teeth to clear the teeth o-fthegear. This is due to the finger 20 swinging in a plane located at one side of the axis of the pinion and being at an angle to the said; axis. WVhen the finger 20 has rotated the pinion teeth past the contacting gear teeth, the spring 26, which has been tensioned by the movement of the arm 6" relative tothe arm 23, actuates the 'ar-m 23 and thus the finger 24 to againv move the pinion axial-ly of the shaft and into meshing engagement with the gear teeth. In

vother words the finger- 24 axially moves the pinion and, if necessary, the finger 2O rotates it until it is in position for meshing with thel gear and then the Vlinger 24 again axially moves the pinion into mesh with the gear.

A spring pressed plunger l1 of an ordinary piunger type switch, connectedin the motor circuit, is adapted to be engaged by the arm 6b of the bell crank 6 to energize the rnotorV when the' pinion teethare inmeshing engagement with the gear teeth.V The Yshaft 2 is thusrotatedto thread the pinion, which is held from rotation by the gear, along the shaft and fully into mesh withV the gear. Then the pinion engages the collar 3d, its

- axial-movement is stopped and it rotates with the shaft to drive the gear.

The pinion is automatically returned toits inoperative position, when the engine is started, in the usual manner. If the motor vswitch is closed when the enginer starts, the

pinion when moving from its operative or meshed position to its inoperative position will engage the fingers 20 and24 and swing them yon their pivots against the compression of the flat springs 22 and 25. This arrange` ment permits the fingers to be partly folded up, by means of the frictional contact between them and the pinion, to prevent them from being damaged. Should the engine back fire and thus rotate the pinion in a reverse direction the springs 22 and 25 are adapted to permit the fingers to `be rocked in the direction of rotation of the pinion.

Referring to Figs. l and 4 it will be seen that the spring 22 is alsoadapted to permit the linger 20 to' be partly folded up during its opera-tive movement if it is necessary to rotate the pinion through a large arc to move its teeth clear of .the lgear teeth. As the coil spring 26 is forcing the finger 24 against the disk 4b while the pinion is being rotated, the linger 24. is also partly folded up against its spring 25. Y

It. will. be understood .that various modiiicat-ions ofV the parts may he devised without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

What I cla-imis z,

l. An engine starter. drive including a rotatable shaft; a, starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a.. gear ofthe engine to vbe started; and manually operable means including two iingers, one ngerbeing, adapted to cause such longitudinal movement ofthe starter pinion, the other finger being. adapted to cause a rotary movement of.` .the pinion during its longitudial movement towards the meshing position if the teeth on the latter meet end to end with the teeth onthe gear.

Y2. In` a starter for use with an` internal combustion engine having a gear adapt-ed to rotate the crankshaft thereof, the combination` of starten mechanism including ashaft;

a starter pinion threaded on the shaft; and.

manually operable means including two fingers, one finger being adapted to axially move the pinion into meshing engagement with the gear, the other finger Abeing adapted to rotate` the pinion if the teeth on the latter meet end to end with the teeth on the gear, the rst mentionedfinger being adapted to again axially move the pinion when its teeth clear the gear teeth.

3. An engine starter drive includingV a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal.movementthereof to mesh with a. gear of the engine to be started; manually operable means including a finger normally disengaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its axis; a second linger and resilient-means tending to actuate the second finger to cause such longitudinal. movement ofthe pinion, the second finger being controlled by the vfirst mentionedV finger.

4. An engine starter drive includingy a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and` for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh wlth a gear of the engine to be started; man- Y ually operable means including a finger normally disengaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its axis; a second finger adapted to engage the pinion; a coil spring tending to move the fingers towards one another and tending to actuate the second linger to cause such longitudinal movement of the pinion; and stop means for limiting the said movement of the fingers towards one another.

5. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon foil rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; a pivoted finger normally disengaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its axis; a second finger adapted to cause such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion; resilient means tending to actuate one of the said fingers; and manually operable means adapted to control the finger operated by the resilient means and to directly actuate the other finger.

6. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; a spindle; an arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a finger normally disengaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its axis; a second arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a finger adapted to engage the starter pinion; resilient means tending to actuate the second mentioned arm to cause such longitudinal movement of the pinion; and manually operable means adapted to actuate the first mentioned arm and adapted to control the second mentioned arm to permit such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion.

7. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; a spindle; an arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a finger normally disengaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its axis; a second arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a finger adapted to engage the starter pinion; a coil spring disposed on said spindle and having its opposite ends in engagement with the said arms and tending to rock the second arm to cause such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion; and manually operable means adapted to actuate the first mentioned arm and adapted to control the second mentioned arm to permit such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion.

8. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; a spindle; an arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a linger normally disen gaged from the pinion and adapted to engage it eccentric to its aXis; a second arm journalled on the spindle and provided with a linger adapted to engage the starter pinion; a coil spring disposed on said spindle and having its opposite ends in engagement with the said arms and tending to rock the second arm to cause such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion; a pin carried by the second mentioned arm and adapted to engage the first mentioned arm for normally holding the spring out of action; and manually 1- erable means adapted to actuate the first mentioned arm to permit the spring to cause such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion and adapted to actuate the first mentioned arm to rotate the pinion if its teeth meet end to end with the gear teeth.

9. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with aV gear of the engine to be started; manually operable means including two arms, each arm having a finger pivoted thereon, each finger having a fiat end; and flat springs carried by the arms for engagement with the said flat ends to tend to retain the fingers in their normal positions, one linger being adapted to cause such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion; the other finger being adapted to cause a rotary movement of the pinion during its longitudinal movement towards the meshing position if the teeth on the latter meet end to end with the teeth on the gear.

10. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion threaded thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; means normally inoperative adapted to rotate the pinion; and separate means controlled by the first mentioned means for causing such longitudinal movement of the starter pinion; the first mentioned means being adapted to rotate the pinion should the latter collide with the gear, the first and second mentioned means having provisions to admit both an overrunning rotation and a return axial movement of the pinion before the first mentioned means is returned to its normally inoperative position, whereby the pinion may be automatically de-meshed by the thread.

11. In a starter drive for internal combustion engines, a starter shaft; a pinion threaded on the shaft for longitudinal 'movement thereof and rotary movement therewith; a gear of an engine to be started; a

Cn i

4 mee-09 device adapted to yieldingly press the pinion against the gear of the engine Without imparting turning movement'to the pinion; a second device adapted to Ypress the pinion7 against the engine gear and at the same. time to turn the Vpinion to bring its teeth into- Ineshing relationship Wit-h the teeth of the engine gear; anda manually operable part adapted to actuate the first mentioned device and subsequently actuate the second device should the pinion and gear teeth meet end-to? end, the said devices having provisions adapted to permit the pinion to eject automatically when the engine starts under its own power and before the said manually operable part is returned to its normal position.

12. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a starter pinion mounted.l thereon `for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh With a gear of the engine to be started;` a device adapted to impart such longitudinal movement to the starter pinion; a second device adapted to turn the pinion should it collide With the gear; means for resiliently transmitting the movement oit' one device to the other; and manually operable means for actuating one of the devices and thus causing the resilient means to actuate the other device.

Signed at Toronto7 Canada, this 27th day of January, 1926.

` MAUNSELL B. JACKSON. 

